The rapture is an important doctrine in Christian theology. It is an eschatological event and it will be a public event that some Christians have been looking forward to. It is not a secret rapture, although it does happen quickly!
Bible believers teach pretribulation rapture, which means that we believe the rapture of the Christian church is before a seven-year period of tribulation on earth. After this tribulation period, there begins a thousand-year period of millennium where saints will return to earth and reign together with Jesus Christ. This is a period of righteousness. After that, eternity begins (God’s not keeping track of time the same way we human beings do!)
What does the term Rapture mean in the Bible?
“Rapture” means to be caught up or snatched up.
This is a biblical prophecy. When God comes, the dead (Christian believers) shall rise first then the ones alive. The belief in rapture tends to give hope, as the following verses end with “comfort one another with these words.”
1 Thessalonians 4:15-18: “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
One’s body will change into an incorruptible body (the bodily resurrection of believers).
1 Corinthians 15:49-55: “And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”
How Will The Rapture Happen
- A flash of light
Matthew 24:27: “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”
- Clap of thunder
1 Thessalonians 4:16: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:”
God’s voice sounds like thunder. It could be that God is calling for all his people.
Job 37:1-5: “At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place. Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth. He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth. After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard. God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.”
John 12:28-29: “Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.” - Followed by the sound of a trumpet
1 Thessalonians 4:16: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:”
1 Corinthians 15:52: “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” - The dead will rise
1 Thessalonians 4:16: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:”
Whenever God resurrects a person, He calls them by name so that not all the dead gets resurrected.
Luke 7:14: “And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.”
Luke 8:54: “And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.”
John 11:43: “And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.”Sheep refers to men, shepherd refers to Jesus. When God leads them out, He is going to call them by name.
John 10:3: “To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.”
- The ones who are alive will then be raptured.
1 Thessalonians 4:17: “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
One’s blood cannot go to heaven, it will be left behind. One’s body will be transformed into a heavenly body.
1 Corinthians 15:50: “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.”
Everyone is going to be in the air to meet Jesus first.
1 Thessalonians 4:17: “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
Jesus is on earth and told many not to touch him for He has not ascended to God the Father yet. Later in the evening, He met His disciples, and then they touched Him. This means that Jesus went to heaven and back within a few hours. Men will be traveling to heaven faster than the speed of light.
John 20:17-29: “Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the LORD, and that he had spoken these things unto her. Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the LORD. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the LORD. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”
The archangel is Michael. There is only one archangel in the whole Bible (Jude 1:9). He will be there during the rapture. Michael the archangel will be on earth during the Tribulation period (Revelation 12:7).
The rapture will come like a thief.
Luke 12:39: “And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.”
Names of the Rapture
- Day of the Lord
1 Thessalonians 5:2: “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.”
- Day of Christ
2 Thessalonians 2:1-2: “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.”
- Blessed Hope
Titus 2:13: “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”
- Day of Redemption
Ephesians 4:30: “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”
cf Romans 8:23: “And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.”
When Will The Rapture Happen
The book of Songs of Solomon is talking about Solomon and his lover. Solomon is a picture of Jesus Christ, whereas the lover is the church.
The rapture is going to happen around springtime.
Song of Solomon 2:10-13: “My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.”
Springtime, when figs start to blossom.
Matthew 24:27: “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”
Matthew 24:29-31: “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:”
The verses mentioned that men don’t know when will Jesus Christ come back.
Mark 13:32: “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.”
Luke 12:40: “Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”
- But Deuteronomy 29:29 and Proverbs 25:2 say that men can find the things hidden.
- Mark 13:32 says that no man will know, not even Jesus. Jesus only doesn’t know because He is a man. Mark 11:12 shows that even Jesus doesn’t know everything. But God does and man can search for the answers in His words.
- Luke 12:40 The coming of Son of Man is referred to as a parable.
John 16:25 All the things spoken as proverbs/parables will no longer be and will be revealed by God the Father. - The Bible shows that man can know God’s timing.
2 Kings 2:2 They knew the exact day that Elijah was going to be raptured.
Daniel 2:25-26 They knew the exact date and time of the first coming of Christ to meet the Jews.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 gave clues on when Christ is coming. - 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2: “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.”
Contemporary options in eschatology for the timing of the rapture:
There are a few theories on the rapture:
- Pre-tribulation Rapture
- Mid-tribulation Rapture
- Pre-wrath
- Post-tribulation Rapture
- Partial Rapture
Proof of Pre-Tribulation View
- Men have to endure to the end to be saved. This is based on good works.
Matthew 24:21: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”
Matthew 24:13: “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”These are all works.
2 Timothy 2:3: “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”
2 Timothy 2:5-6: “And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.”Christians are not saved by works but by faith in Jesus Christ alone.
Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
- When one takes the mark of the beast, they are damned by the wrath of God.
Revelation 14:9: “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,”
Jesus Christ already delivered men from the wrath of God.
1 Thessalonians 1:10: “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”
- In this verse, the context is tribulation (Matthew 24:3).
The oil is the Holy Spirit (1 Samuel 16:13). The foolish virgins ran out of the oil/Holy Spirit when they sin, but Christians cannot run out of the Holy Spirit even when they sin.Matthew 25:1: “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.”
Grieve the Holy Spirit means sinning, but the Holy Spirit is sealed within men until the day of redemption.
Ephesians 4:30: “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”
- The angel is preaching this gospel to fear and worship God.
Revelation 14:6: “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,”
Paul said, if men or an angel from heaven preaches any other gospel, let them be accursed.
Galatians 1:8: “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”
Paul’s gospel is that Christ died for man’s sins, and He was buried and resurrected. Nowhere did it mention anything about fear of God.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4: “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”
- Very convincing proof from Jesus and Paul that Christians cannot be at Tribulation.
Matthew 24:16-21: “Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”
Luke 21:21-23: “Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.”
Luke 21:34-36: “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”c.f
1 Thessalonians 5:4-9: “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,”
Bible believers are pre – tribulationists because of the evidences laid out above. It also makes sense that God would spare His children from His wrath.
For further reading,
– A commentary on Revelation (which contains a lot of Christian eschatology)